This invention is related in general to the field of control systems, particularly to a system and method of multimedia display.
In a control area network connecting various control devices, a monitor or user display device is often used to provide a current status information about the control area network. In many instances, it becomes desirable to feed multiple graphics information from a number of sources to the monitor for display simultaneously.
It has been recognized that it is desirable to provide a multimedia display on a monitor.
In one aspect of the invention, a system of multimedia display on a monitor screen includes at least one graphics source, a display file defining a page having a plurality of buttons, where each button has a set of properties including a specification of a graphics source. The system further includes a graphics controller operable to generate a pixel map, and a graphics arbitrator coupled to the graphics controller operable to select pixels between the pixel map and pixels from the at least one graphics source to be displayed for the page according to the display file.
In another aspect of the invention, a control area network having a multimedia display includes a master controller coupled to the control area network, and at least one control device coupled to the master controller via the control area network. The at least one control device includes at least two graphics sources, a display file defining a page having a plurality of buttons, each button having a set of properties including a specification of a graphics source, a graphics controller operable to generate a pixel map. A graphics arbitrator is coupled to the graphics controller and is operable to select pixels between the pixel map and pixels from the at least two graphics sources to be displayed on a monitor screen for the page according to the display file.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a method of multimedia display on a monitor screen includes composing a display file describing multiple buttons, each button having a set of properties including a specification of a graphics source, receiving a pixel from each graphics source, and generating a corresponding pixel in response to the display file. The generated pixel is then examined and a pixel is selected from the generated pixel and the corresponding pixels from the graphics sources in response to examining the generated pixel. The selected pixel is displayed on the monitor screen.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a method of multimedia display on a touch monitor screen in a control area network is provided. The method includes the steps of composing a display file describing multiple buttons, each button having a set of properties including a specification of a graphics source coupled to the control area network. Thereafter, the method includes receiving a pixel from each graphics source, generating a corresponding pixel in response to the display file, and examining the generated pixel. A pixel is then selected from the generated pixel and the corresponding pixels from the graphics sources in response to examining the generated pixel.
One technical advantage of the invention is the ability to display graphics content from multiple sources on a single page on a monitor screen.